Prof. Douglas Zuver said:
Light Flareon "A common misconception, Pokemon USA
is in charge of Organized Play as of today."
Light Vaperon "The Pokemon Company owns all the cards,
and they benefit from any sales of Pokemon Products,
no matter who manufactures them."
PDZ, you are off the scale, dude. Greatly enjoying your posts; much food for thought, esp. over in Deck Help.
Hey, here's another misconception, 'the only economic incentive for the current owners is current sales'. True, ALL product made by WOTC may have been sold.
[Someone may say, "I can still buy all the e-card sets and more in Target, etc.". True, again. But WOTC has been paid for those cards already, by the wholesaler/discounter; the owners already have their money from any royalties (well maybe there is a final payment coming, since the cutoff was yesterday, and I am assuming they've sold through all product).]
Noda: There is... another.... economic incentive...[noduh dies and vanishes]
I just bought my Expedition cards in the last year. I just bought Aquapolis and Skyridge, this year. I've been hanging in with a game that has been downsized & ostracized by the previous licensee in favor of in-house brands, I have been turned away from events (GCs) and had my children & wife who love the big tourneys be considered to old to play in Premiere OP (WCSC) and now I'm bereft of the only people who have ever fought for me as a player at that vendor (MTs). I'm hanging by my nails as a customer (and I live in the U.S.), so what's the word? "Well, dump all your cards and buy new. None but July 2003 on are allowed in OP, except for limited/unlimited." That could be it for a lot of people.
So, there's the economic incentive, keeping the current player-base happy. Having old product available for OP isn't going to stop the collectors from buying. If you look at the secondary markets like ebay, its the playable cards that carry the high prices in the current sets; this drives the primary market.